The All-Pedal Macrodose is an envelope filter pedal, the family of effects that opens and closes a filter in response to how hard you play, producing the auto-wah and vowel sounds familiar from funk and experimental guitar work. The Macrodose takes that idea further than most: it is an analog filter with digital control, and it packs auto-wah with selectable waveforms, sample/hold functions, random sample/hold, a step filter and even a pixelated filter function into one box1. It was created in collaboration with Brian Marshall of Subdecay12.
Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio called it "a striking attempt at delivering the ultimate envelope filter pedal," and added that "the Macrodose has so many features it could have easily been named 'overdose'"1.
What it does
As an envelope filter, the Macrodose reacts to your picking dynamics, sweeping a filter to create wah-like and vowel tones without you rocking a pedal. Where a standard envelope filter gives you one sweeping response, the Macrodose layers on modes that break the pattern: sample/hold and random sample/hold functions that jump the filter to new positions, a step filter, and a pixelated filter function12.
The filter side offers three types, selected by a toggle switch at the center of the pedal1:
| Filter type | What it selects |
|---|---|
| Low-Pass | Rolls off highs above the filter point |
| Band-Pass | Emphasizes a band around the filter point |
| High-Pass | Rolls off lows below the filter point |
On top of the filter types, the pedal offers envelope shapes, including an Analog Envelope mode with forward and reverse shapes, and Mode Modifiers that tweak the Shape settings12.
Controls and footswitches
- Filter type toggle: selects Low-Pass, Band-Pass or High-Pass1
- Shape settings: envelope shapes, including Analog Envelope forward and reverse, tweakable with Mode Modifiers12
- Tap/Hold footswitch: allows for tap tempo and momentary effect functionality1
- Expression input: works with any non-envelope functions; depending on the shape and mode settings, the expression pedal will have a different effect1
The expression input is worth planning for on a board. Because its effect changes with the shape and mode settings, an expression pedal becomes a second layer of control over whatever mode the Macrodose is in. Pedal of the Day put it plainly: "the External Expression pedal is a key ingredient for sonic experimentation here as well"2.
Power
The Macrodose carries MOSFET Power Protection, so a wrong supply from a multi-pedal setup will not kill it. It is compatible up to 18V, though Delicious Audio notes it sounds best at 9V1.
The pedal is compatible up to 18V but sounds best at 9V, per Delicious Audio. The MOSFET Power Protection is a safeguard against accidentally plugging in the wrong supply, not a reason to run higher voltage by default1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Macrodose in May 2022, with a demo video2. Delicious Audio's write-up frames the pedal as a feature-dense take on the envelope filter, joking that "the Macrodose has so many features it could have easily been named 'overdose.'"1
Videos
All-Pedal
All-Pedal
Reverb
Questions
Is the All-Pedal Macrodose analog or digital?
Both, in a specific way. The Macrodose is an analog filter with digital control, a description both Delicious Audio and Pedal of the Day use. The audio path that shapes your tone is analog, while the digital side handles the control functions such as the envelope shapes, modes and tap tempo. That combination is what lets one pedal cover auto-wah, sample/hold, step filter and pixelated filter functions.
Does the Macrodose have true bypass?
Yes. The pedal's stomp switch is a true bypass switch, according to Delicious Audio's product page, so when the effect is off your guitar signal passes through without the filter circuit in the way.
Who helped design the All-Pedal Macrodose?
The Macrodose was created in collaboration with Brian Marshall of Subdecay, the pedal builder behind Subdecay effects. Both Delicious Audio and Pedal of the Day note the collaboration in their coverage of the pedal.
Can I use an expression pedal with the Macrodose?
Yes. The Macrodose has an expression input that can be used with any non-envelope functions. Depending on the shape and mode settings, the expression pedal will have a different effect, so what the pedal does under your foot changes with how you have it configured. Pedal of the Day described the external expression pedal as a key ingredient for sonic experimentation.
What filter types does the Macrodose offer?
A toggle switch at the center of the pedal selects the filter type, with three options: Low-Pass, Band-Pass and High-Pass. Combined with the pedal's envelope shapes and modes, these filter types are the foundation of the Macrodose's range of sounds.
Sources (2)
- All-Pedal Macrodose Envelope Filter, Delicious Audio, 2025-01-01
- All-Pedal Macrodose Envelope Filter, Pedal of the Day, 2022-05-07
